Tripping device



Sept. 20, 1938. J. w. OGDEN 2,130,898

TRIPPING DEVICE Filed Nov. 24, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. JACOB W. Oc; DEN

ATTORNEY.

Sept. 20, 1938. w. OGDEN 2,130,898

TRIPPING DEVICE Filed Nov. 24, 1956 s Sheefs-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

A T TORNEY.

JAG OB W. OGDEN.

Sept. 20, 1938. w OGDEN 2,130,898

TRIPPING DEVICE Filed Nov. 24, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 5; 5 INVENTOR. JAQOBWOGDEN.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 20, 1938 D I UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRIPPING DEVICE Jacob w. Ogden, Springdzle, Conn, auirnor to Pitney-Bowes Postage Meter 00., Stamford,

Conr a corporation of Delaware Application November 24, 1938, Serial No. 112,464

' 15 .Claims. (01. 101-235) This invention relates to a mechanical tripping which is controlled by the movement of the article device which is particularly adapted for use with through continuous contact therewith.

a machine for controlling the printing of impres ,With the foregoing and other objects in view,

sions upon articles which are conveyed or otherwhich will appear as the description proceeds,

wise moved to a printing position at high speed, the invention resides in the combination and ar- 5 such as for example, the printing of, a. cancellarangement of parts and in the details of contion mark or a stamp impression upon letters in struction hereinafter described and claimed, it a mailing machine, which are fed to a printing being understood that various changes in the preposition by means of continuously driven feed cise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed roller may be madewithin the scope of what is claimed 10 In printing cancelling impressions upon letters, Without departing from the spirit of the invenit is desirable to have the said impressions come tion.

within a predetermined distance irom'the edge A preferred embodiment of the invention is llof the letter and since the trip is controlled by ,lustrated in the mpanyin drawin s. wh

each individual letter, it is necessary to start a in: l5

tripping operation before the leading edge of the Fig. 1 is a plan view with part in section showletter reaches the printing member. lng article feeding mechanism, a trip mechanism In other machines of like character, a single and printin meehehlsm;

I tripping point is provided which is brought as Fig- 2 is 9- f 'y P View Showing the near to the printing position as possible to perposition of the tripping mechanism after an arti- 90 mit the instant operation of the printing memcle has effected the initial tripping movement of ber when the trip is engaged by a letter. In the the tripping member; device of this invention, two tripping points are Fig. 3 is also a fragm nt ry plan view showing provided, one a comparatively delicate trip, which the tripping member in an advanced position and as is actuated by a letter to set a driven element in at h p int f r ppin or r l in the p m motion, and a second tripping point which is the printing member; actuated by the driven element, and which trips 4 S a further fragmentary P ew ShOW- the printing member after the letter has ading t e Desitien 0f the tripping ember at the vanced from the initial tripping point into prox- Comp e of ts movement;

80 imity with the printing member. Fig. 5 is an end view taken substantially in the This offers a considerable advantage in that direction of the arrows of 1; and the first tripping point requires-very little actu- 6 is an end View leeklng in th direction of ating force, while the second trip, which is driven, arrow 6 on F has adequate force to produce the result desired. Referring t 1 articles to e p Further, the leading edge of the printing die may such as the letter indicated at L, are fed between 35 be brought close to the impression roller for asntin u ly r ven fee r ller ll past a tripsuring the accurate placement of the stamp im- Din member indicated generally at It and bepressions, and it permits the use of an inexpentween-a printing member I3 and impression roller sive friction clutch instead of the more expensive The Printing member is p v ded with a cantypes of clutches. 1 cellation die face I 5 and a postmark die face i8. 40

One object of the invention, therefore, is to pro-, It will be noted that the leading end of the cancelvide means whereby a mechanical tripping device ling die l5 or the end indicated at l5a is in close may be set in motion by the engagement of an Proximity with t e Point Of engagement With the article therewith, as the article is fed' therepast impressionreller l4 a d t t e tr p mem- 5 to a printing position, and to includ means ber I2 is spaced at a considerable distance away whereby the actual tripping of the printing memfrom the Printing member. ber is delayed until the article has advanced to The Printing member 15 leesely mounted on the printing position, a continuously driven shaft l1 and is adapted to oth object is t i o id t point be driven by means of a friction clutch member chanical trip, the first point of which may be 8. which has o member Fig. 6) fixed to 50 actuated by a comparatively delicate force, and said shait l1. The said printing member is northe second point of which may be actuated by mally held in a non-rotating position by means a greater or driving force which is set in motion of a stop arm l9, which forms one arm of a bell by the first force. crank lever 20. Another arm lBa of said bell Another object is to provide a tripping means crank is connected by means of a link 22 to one u arm 23a of another bell crank lever 23. A spring 24 connected to arm 23b of said bell crank 23, tends to urge the bell crank 23 about its pivot in a counter-clockwise direction to thereby cause the arm |6a of the bell crank 26 to rest against a stop pin 26 and thereby fix the position of the stop arm IS in the path of the lug 2| on the printing member l3. The bell cranks 26 and 23 are mounted on suitable studs extending from a support plate 26 carried by the machine frame.

The tripping member |2 comprises a disc 26 which is rotatably mounted upon a stub shaft 21, extending below the support plate 26, and rests upon a collar 3|, which collar also forms a part of the tripping member as will be later described. The collar rests upon a flange 29 provided at the lower end of the stub shaft 21.

Also secured to the disc 26 is a support block 32 on which is slidabiy mounted a trip finger 33, which finger is normally urged in a projected position by means of a spring 34, to normally maintain the'trip end thereof in the path of the articles. The spring 34 is stretched between an anchor pin 56 secured in said block 32 and a pin 61 in the trip finger, there being an elongated slot 65 in the trip finger 33 through which the anchor pin 66 passes.

One edge of the disc 26 is flattened as indicated at 36 with the said fiat lying in a plane parallel and adjacent to the path of travel of the article. Opposite said disc 26 and cooperating therewith is a driven feed roller 36.

An article upon being fed by means of the feed rollers II, will be moved into engagement with the trip finger 33 as shown in Fig. l, whereupon the disc "will be rotated by the engagement of the leading end of the article therewith until the knurled peripheral surface of the disc moves into engagement with the lower surface of the article. From this point the article becomes the driving member through the cooperation of the feed roller 36, the pressure of which roller will force the article against the peripheral surface of the disc 26 and cause the disc to be driven so long as the peripheral edge remains in contact with the article.

During the movement of the disc 26, a pin or striker member 36, which projects upwardly from the top surface of the disc, will be moved into engagement with the arm 23a. of the bell crank 23. The bell crank 23 will thus be rocked in a clockwise direction against the pull of the spring 24 to thereby rock the bell crank 26 and remove the stop I9 from its engagement with the lug 2| of the printing member. The trip pin 36 will continue to move past the arm 39 during the rotation of the disc 26 to thereby permit the b"ll crank 20 to be reset to its normal position, with the stop arm IS in the path of the lug 2| for the purpose of stopping the printing die after one revolution of movement.

After the peripheral surface of the disc 26 leaves the lower surface of the article, as shown in full lines, Fig. 4', the said disc 26 will be carried to the end of its revolution by momentum.

The tripping member I2 is stopped after one revolution by means of a structure which will be later described and is latched in its home position by means of a pawl 4| which pawl has one hooked end 42 normally positioned in the path of a lug 43 on the collar 3|. The said pawl 4| is pivotally mounted upon a stud 44 and the hooked end 42 thereof is urged toward its stop position by means of a spring 46.

When the next article engages the trip finger and which is maintained in a position. against the forward edge if the slot as shown in Fig. 2 by means of a spring 46. Upon the initial movement of the disc 26, as from the position of Fig. l to that of Fig. 2, the collar will remain in its fixed position until a pin 49, projecting downwardly from the disc' 26, engages a shoulder 6| on the pawl 4| and cams the pawl outward from its latched engagement with thelug 43. From the two positions shown in Fig. 2, it will be seen that the camming out of the hooked end 42 of the pawl 4| is accomplished during the period that the lost motion through the slot 46 is taken up.

Immediately after the release of the hooked end 42 from its engagement with the lug 43, the spring 48 will return the collar 3| to its normal relation with the disc 26 to permit both the collar and the disc to rotate together during the remainder of the revolution. Upon the passing of the pin 43 over the shoulder 6| of the pawl 4|, the said pawl will be returned to its stop position by means of the spring 46 before the disc 26 has completed its revolution.

The trip member I2 is limited to one revolution of movement by the engagement of the tail end of the tripping finger 33 with a fixed stop pin 64 which projects below the support plate 26. A lug 62, provided on the tail end of the trip finger. is adapted to engage a fixed cam 63, which also projects below the plate 28, and by its engagement therewith, will retract the said'tail end of the trip finger to a position outside the peripheral surface of the disc 26, where the lug 62 will engage the said stop pin 64 as shown in the broken line position of Fig. 4. After the stopping of the trip member |2, the trip finger 33 will be returned to its normal tripping position by means of the spring 34. The parts will thus have returned to their normal positions as shown in Fig. 1, and they will remain in this position until the next article engages the trip finger 33.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a simple and improved mechanical tripping device has been provided which is adapted to be set in motion by a most delicate force, which force is the means for preparing the device for connection with a more substantial driving force to perform the final tripping operation.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for printing upon moving articles, the combination with a driven rotary printing member having stop means to normally prevent the rotation of said printing member; of trip mechanism associatedwith said stop means including a primary trip member having a normally stationary position and movable upon the engagement of a moving article therewith, and a secondary trip member movable with said primary trip member and arranged to release the stop after the primary trip has moved through part of its cycle.

2. In a device for marking moving articles, a rotary printing member including a drive therefor, a stop normally holding the printing member in a non-driving relation with the drive, a trip member normally at rest arranged to be engaged by the leading end of a moving article and to be moved by said engagement to a driven position, and means arranged in a fixed position relative to the trip member and adapted to eil'ect the release of the stop member after said trip member is moved to a driven position.

8. In a device for printing upon moving articles, a printing member, stop means to hold said printing member in a non-printing position, a rotatable tripping device engageable by an article in advance of the printing position, a trip pin movable upon engagement of an article with said tripping device, and a stop releasing member positioned in the path of said trip pin and in a spaced relation thereto, whereby the actual release of the printing member is delayed until the article has passed from the tripping device to a printing position.

4. In a device for marking moving articles, a rotary printing member including a drive therefor, a stop normally holding the printing member in a non-driving relation with the drive, a driven feed roller adapted to engage and advance each article, a rotatable member associated with said feed roller but normally arranged in non-driving relation therewith, means projecting from said rotatable member into the path of the moving articles and adapted to cause suillcient rotation of said rotatable member upon engagement of an article therewith to move the rotatable member into driving relation with the moving article, and means on said rotatable member to trip the stop and thereby effect a printing operation.

5. In a device for printing upon moving articles, the combination with a driven rotary printing member having stop means to normally prevent the rotation of said printing member; of a trip to release said stop including a rotatable member having a portion thereof projecting in the path of the moving articles, whereby upon engagement of the leading edge of an article therewith the rotatable member is given a partial rotation and the periphery thereof moves into engagement with one surface of the article; a driven feed roller engaging the opposite surface of the article and cooperating to continue the rotation of the rotatable member after the article passes said projecting portion, stop releasing means, and a striker member movable with said rotatable member and arranged to engage the stop means to release the printing member and effect a printing operation after the rotatable member has been moved by the article.

6. In a device for printing upon moving articles, the combination with a driven rotary printing member having stop means to normally prevent the rotation of said printing member; of a trip mechanism associated with said stop means including a rotatable member which is adapted to be driven by its peripheral engagement with one surface of the article, and a striker member movable with said rotatable member and arranged to engage said stop to release the printing member and effect a printing operation after the leading end of an article has passed beyond the rotatable member.

'1. In a device for printing upon moving articles, a printing member, a stop normally retaining the printing member in a non-operative position, means to release said stop including a rotatable member, a yieldable finger mounted upon said rotatable member and projecting into the path of the moving articles to providepartial rotation to the rotatable member when engaged by an article, a driven feed roller cooperating with the rotatable member and effective to continue the rotation of the rotatable member through the driving engagement of the feed roller with the article, and a stop tripping member carried by said rotatable member arranged to release the stop after the rotatable member has been partially rotated and thereby effect a printing operatlon.

8. In a device for printing upon moving articles, the combination with a driven printing member having stop means to normally prevent the movement thereof, of a tripping device normally arranged in a rest position, means whereby said tripping device may be moved when engaged by an article, a trip member on said tripping device positioned so as to release the stop means after the tripping device has been moved a predetermined distance and to thereby effect the tripping of the printing member and means to limit the rotation of the tripping device to one revolution.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with article feeding means, a rotary printing member, a drive for said printing member, and a stop to normally retain the printing member in a non-driving relation with the drive; of means to trip said stop, including a rotatable member normally arranged in a rest position, a driven feed roller associated with said rotatable member and adapted to move the articles th'erepast, said rotatable member and feed roller being arranged at either side of the path of travel of the articles, means projecting into the path of an article to rock the rotatable member into a position where it may be driven by frictional contact with the moving article, and a striker member carried by said rotatable member arranged to release said stop and effect a printing 1 operation when the article has advanced to a printing position.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination with article feeding means, a rotary printing member, a drive for said printing means, and a stop to normally retain the printing member in a non-driving relation with the drive; of a rotatable disc member normally arranged in a rest position and having one fiat edge lying adjacent and parallel to the path of travel of the articles, a driven feed roller associated with said disc member and arranged opposite said flat, 2. projection on said disc projecting into the path of an article and adapted to be engaged by an article to rock the disc member into a position where its periphery will move into frictional contact with the article,and a striker member carried by said disc arranged to release said stop and effect a printing operation when the article has advanced to a printing position.

11. In a machine of the class described wherein articles are fed to a rotatable printing member; stop means to normally retain the printing member in a rest position, tripping means including a disc member having one fiat edge lying adjacent and parallel to the path of travel of the articles, a yieldable member projecting above the flat surface and into the path of the moving articles to provide partial rotation to the rotatable member when engaged by an article and thereby move the periphery of the disc into frictional driving engagement with the article, means on said disc to trip the stop means during the rotation of the disc and thereby eifect a printing operation, and an abutment member positioned in the path of the yieldable member to limit the rotation of the disc to one revolution.

12. In a machine of the class described wherein articles are fed to a rotary printing member, stop means to normally retain the printing member in a rest position, tripping means including a disc member having one fiat edge lying adjacent and parallel to the path of travel of the articles, a yieldable member projecting above the flat surface into the path of the moving articles to be engaged by said articles and thereby rock the disc to move the peripheral surface of the disc into'engagement with the article and be rotated thereby, means on said disc to trip the stop means during the rotation of the disc, a disc stopping member, means to project one end of said yieldable member beyond the periphery of the disc and into the path of said disc stopping member to limit the rotation of the disc to one revolution, and means to retract said yieldable member into the path of the moving articles at the end of the revolution.

13. In a tripping device operable to release a normally inactive printing member by the engagement of moving articles with said device and comprising: one trip member extending into the path of the articles and movable by the limited force of an article, and a second trip member movable by the action of the first trip member into frictional driving engagement with one surface of a moving article, and a striker member on the second trip member arranged to trip the printing member.

14. In a device for tripping a normally inactive printing member comprising in combination: letter feeding means including a feed roller; a letter actuated trip including a rotatable member positioned opposite said feed roller and having a trip finger extending into the path of the moving letters, which, when engaged by a letter, is adapted to rock the periphery of the rotatable trip member into driving engagement with one surface of the moving letter; a second trip member associated with the driven rotatable member, and means associated with the printing member arranged in the path of said second trip member so as to be engaged thereby to effect the release of the printing member.

15. A trip actuating device, comprising arotatable member, means to normally latch said member in a stationary position, means carried by said member and normally projecting into the path of moving articles adapted to provide partial rotation to the member while a moving article is engaged with said projection, means to permit partial movement of the rotatable member while the latch means remains latched, means to release said latch after an initial movement of the rotatable member, a device to be tripped having a projecting member associated therewith, and a trip engaging means movable with said rotatable member and arranged to engage said projecting member to effect a tripping operation during the rotation of the movable member.

JACOB W. OGDEN. 

